Commerce: Doug Kalitta preview

NHRA Top Fueler Doug Kalitta anticipates aggressive competition in Atlanta

COMMERCE, Ga., (April 15, 2009) -- Doug Kalitta, driver of the bright yellow, 8,000-horsepower, nitro-fueled, No. 50 Top Fuel dragster, is keen to head south to the Peach State this weekend, April 16-19, for the annual running of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at historic Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga., just a few miles northeast of the Atlanta city limits. With a good weather forecast and a long entry list, Kalitta expects ultra-close competition down in Dixie.

"The last time I checked, there are at least 20 dragsters on the entry list," Kalitta, a 44-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., and 31-time NHRA national event winner, said. "That's great for the fans and it's great for us at Team Kalitta. It's more challenging when there are that many cars, and it gives us an opportunity to dig a little deeper and make sure we go out there with our best foot forward to be one of the 16 cars racing on Sunday.

"We've been battling some consistency problems with our dragster in qualifying lately, so we know we have to get those issues resolved as soon as we get on the track at Atlanta Dragway and hopefully get a good qualifying spot. That's our main goal right now. Once we achieve that, we'll try to take it a step further in eliminations and pick up another trophy in Atlanta.

"We also want to make a strong showing this weekend for our friends at Summit Racing Equipment. They're longtime supporters of our team, and it would great if we could get to the winner's circle at their event."

Kalitta won back-to-back Top Fuel title trophies at the event in Commerce in 2005 and 2006. Last season, he qualified his dragster in the No. 7 spot for eliminations. He was defeated in round one.

-credit: km